Means for propelling vehicles.



B. THOENS. MEANS FOR PROPELLING VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. THOENS. MEANS FOR PROPELLING VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1914.

1, 1 21,41 9, Patented Dec.15,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z WWW B; THOENS.

MEANS FOR PROPELLING VEHICLES. APPLICATION IiLED MAR. 20. 1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

s SHBETSHEET 3.

"HE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTDLITHn WAsHlNuIo/v. I; 1

nuncnam) 'rnonns, or new YORK, n. Y.

MEANS FOR PROPELLING: VEHICLES.

- To all whom it may concern 5 upon the other or outside face of the shield.

' bodied-in my inventlon;

Be it known that I, Boner-man THOENS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county and State of New York, have "invented certain new and useful Improvementsf in Means for Propelling Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a means for propelling vehicles as for instance water or land vehicles, and consists of means and apparatus whereby to render available the atmospheric pressure upon the face of what 1 term bulwark secured to the vessel in any desired position, that is, an extended plate presenting a surface of large area and'so supported as to be movable with and constitute practically a part of the vehicle, with means of securing a preponderating pressure upon eitherside of the bulwark, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating perspectively the principle of operationem- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one apparatus which may be employed in carrying out my invention; Fig. 4 is a section on the line elf-4 Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the are "rangement when a single bulwarkis used; is an elevatlon of one form of and Fig. 7

inventionapplied vehicle showing this thereto;

Before describing the detailsof the apparatus which may be used in carrying out my improvement I will refer to the diagrammatic illustrations Figs; 1 and 2in explaining the principle of operation of my invention. h

Let it be assumed that a is a rotatable shaft supported in suitable bearings and connected with means for rotating it at a high speed, and that b is a fan carried by such shaft and of such a oonstruction'that its rotation will result in the rapid dispersion radially of the air which is brought in contact with the blades of the fan. If now a plate or shield (Z is brought to either side of the said fan the result of the exhausting action-of the latter upon the air will be to decrease the atmospheric pressure upon that face of the shield adjacent to the fan, and there will be a preponderating pressure Specification of Letters Patent.

of any desired character,

Patented Dec. 15, 1914:.

Application filed March 20, 1914. Serial No. 826,131.

If now the aforesaid parts are assumed to be mounted upon any kind of vehicle, as for instance a vessel floating upon the water, and the shield (Z is secured thereto or held thereon so that the two must move together, the 'resulting pressure upon the outer face of the shield, that is the face outside that which is proximateto the fan, will result in propelling the vessel. If further it be assumed that there are two such shields d, d, upon the vessel, and that the fan is capable of being shifted from a position opposite the inner face of one shield to a position opposite theinner face of the other, the preponderating airpressure will be upon the outer face of one or the other of the shields, with a corresponding change in direction of propulsion of the Vessel with which the shields are connected.

The above principle of operationv may be embodied in structures of varied character and arrangement, one of which is represented in the remaining figures of the drawing where X represents the deck of a-vessel, to which is bolted a suitable framework B having bearings for the shaft a, and parallel guides e of any suitable character, upon which are supported one or more parts corresponding in effect to the aforesaid shields cl, but to which I apply the term bulwarks as they are necessarily strong and must receive the pressure of the air which constitutes the propelling agent, and transmit it to the vessel to be propelled thereby. Upon the shaft is supported one or more fansb, and also a band-pulley 1, receiving a belt g, which constitutes means of transmitting movement to the shaft from a suitable motor, not shown, supported within the vessel or other vehicle. If there is but a single bulwark it may be secured in a stationary position upon the vessel Fig. 6, but where there is a plurality of bulwarks they are supported to slide upon the guides e, and consist each of a suitable frame h carrying plates of boiler iron z, and the frames h are suitably connected together as by beams m, so that the bulwarks may be carried simultaneously to and from the respective fans. One means of shifting the movable parts consists of a crank shaft n, to each of'two cranks 7a of which is jointed a connecting rod 9 slotted at the opposite end to receive the rocking bearing of a trunnion 7', upon any part of the sliding frame supportin the'bulwarks, with springs s between the caring and the l I which the form of vehicle,

bulwark or fans into -]acent to the bulwark,

7 ends of the slot in the connecting rod which only to transmit motion to the frame carry ing the bulwarks, but also serveas a locking device to hold'the parts in place, but-any other suitable means for locking and holding them after adjustment may be employed, provided it is strong enough to resist the pressure of the air upon the bulwarks.

It will be seen that the air pressure will be in proportion to the surfaces exposed by the bulwarks, and that by multiplying the bulwarks and correspondingly multiplying the fans there will be a corresponding increase of available power for propulsion. It will further be seen that by thus mounting the bulwarks sov as to be movable to and from the respective fans the direction in pressure is brought upon the bulwarks, that is the sides exposed to the air pressure, will be changed,

. I have illustrated the above only as one embodiment of the principle of. my inven tion, and it will be evident that the invention may be applied operatively in various Ways, and that with various structures either the bulwarks or the fans may be shifted, that the parts may be applied with the bulwarks transverse to the vessel for the purpose of propelling it longitudinally or' parallel to the keel for the purpose of moving it laterally to aid in steering or changing the course. I

In Fig. 6 the shaft slides and carries two fans either of which may be brought adthe shaft a rying a with a spur wheel 3 long P on 2 ge n suitably driven.

Fig. 7 shows the invention applied to one in this case a motorv boat. The boat is provided with a motor or engine A, which may be of the hydrocarbon type, which drives the shaft a of the pro.- pelling'device which is mounted at any suit able positionon the boat. Bymeans of this mechanism the boatv may be driven either forwardly or backwardly by manipulating the handle or hand-wheel which shifts the and out ofoperating position.

" While the invention is shown as applied to a motor beat it is to be understood that this application is merely illustrative since the invention may be applied to all types of vehicles. s i Without limiting myself to the means set forth, for carrying out my invention, I claim: Y 1

1'. In a means for propelling vehicles, the combination with a bulwark on said vehicle, of means for exhausting the air at will from on or he other s d of said bul a "after j tme t: i

10. The combination witha vehicle of a i0 2; In a means for propelling vehicles the combination with parallel separated bul 'Warks erected on said vvehicle, of means for exhausting air from either of the proximate faces of said 'bu-l'warks.

*3. The combination with a vehicle of a transverse bulwark projecting outward from said vehicle, of means for securing at one side orthe other of said bulwark at will a preponderating air pressure.

4 The combination with'a vehicle of a transverse bulwark, projecting outward from said vehicle, of rotatable fans, and

or the other of said bulwark a preponderating airpressure. V i I 5. The combination with a vehicleofparallel separated transverse bulwarks and an intermediate rotatable fan, and means to cause the fan to exhaust the air from either ofthe proximate faces of the bulwark-s.

' 6; The combination with a vehicle of parallel separated transverse bulwarks and an intermediate rotatable fan to exhaust the air from either of the proximate faces of the bnlwarks. 7. The combination with a vehicle of two means to cause the fans to secure at one side fan, and means for shifting one of said members to cause the separated p, rallel bulwarks and an interme vdiate rotatable fan, and mean-s for carrying the bulwark toalid' from the fan for the purpose specified. I I

.8. The eombinatipn with a vehicle of a rotatable shaft,means for drivingthe same, 1 5

a fanthereon, bulvvarks supported to be movable to and from the fan, and means for securing them in position after adjustment.

9. The combination with avehicle of a rotatable shaft, means for driving the same, i

aplurality of fans thereon, ported to be movable to and a d m n o ecuri bulw rks 5 pfrom each fan, them in po it on frameprovided with bearings'and guides, a shaft rota-table in said bearings, and a fan on said shaft, bulwarks supportedon said gu de andm ans f r moving'thebulwar s t nd f om he f n- 11. The combination with a vehicle of a sha ota abl s i be ringsiand a fan fr me pr v de with eari g and guides, a

on said shaft, bulwarks connected together supported on] said guides, o ng the u w rks t and from the fan.

.12. The/combination with a vehicle. of a tame provided with bearings and guides, a shaft rotatable in said bearings and a 1uralit of fans on said shaft, bulfwarks sup po te t lide on h g d s to and from the fans, and means for shifting and securing.

in place the-said-b lwarks. v

13. A propelling structure consisting of'a frame having bearings and guides and adapted r ppli ation we vehicle, a shaft and means for rotatable in bearings of the frame, a fan on said shaft, and a bulwark movable on said guides to and from the fan for the purpose set forth.

14.. A propelling structure consisting of a frame having bearings and guides and adapted for application to a vehicle, a shaft rotatable in bearings of the frame, a pluralityof fans on said shaft, and a plurality of bulwarks movable in said guides to and from the fans for the purpose set forth.

15. A propelling structure consisting of a frame having bearings and guides and adapted for application to a vehicle, a shaft rotatable in bearings of the frame, a plurality of fans on said shaft, and a plurality of connected bulwarks movable in said guides to and from the fan for the purpose set forth.

16. In a vehicle, the combination with a Oopies of this patent may be obtained for from one side of said bulwark to cause a preponderating air pressure on the other side ofsaid bulwark, and means for moving said fan and bulwark relatively 'to each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, BURCHARD THOENS.

Witnesses JOHN P. GRIEBEL, WALTER BoLz.

five centseach, 'byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

wnhlngton, ID. 0. 

